February 24, 2000
TRIPOLI, Libya (PANA) - The Roman Catholic Pontiff, Pope John Paul II, arrived in Cairo on Thursday afternoon to begin a three-day visit to Egypt.
The Pope was received on arrival by President Hosni Mubarak, accompanied by many political and religious officials.
In his welcome address, Mubarak paid tribute to the leader of the Catholic church who described as a "courageous, wise and tolerant" man.
"You are serving the cause of mankind in a world characterised by chaos. You indefatigably work toward the building of a world free of injustice and repression. You have always supported the weak, the destitute and the poor. You believe in the construction of a world based on tolerance," Mubarak said.
He urged Christians and Moslems to uphold human dignity and moral values.
"In the beginning of this new millennium, we share your great hope to see the values taught by our religions and traditions propagated in our world," he said, adding that "the progress we are seeking can only be achieved with the conviction that we share a common destiny."